Eastwood to be city's Mayor

The 26-year-old representative when elected to Derry City Council in 2001, was the youngest councillor on any local body throughout Ireland.

Colum Eastwood has been active in politics since he was 14 and has held several positions within the party in the city.

He is currently chair of the committee scrutinising City of Derry Airport and within Londonderry represents Culmore, Steelstown, Ballyarnett, Galliagh and Carnhill.

Cllr Eastwood said: "It is a tremendous honour and great privilege to be selected to represent the people of Derry as their mayor.

"I am very proud of my hometown and I will endeavour to reflect that sense of pride in my civic duties. I was inspired to join the SDLP and to stay involved with the party due to the leadership of John Hume and Mark Durkan and I will bring the same determination and dedication of public service as them to my new position.

"The next 12 months are of vital importance to our city. The coming weeks we will have the long awaited and long overdue Saville Report into the events of Bloody Sunday, and as a member of the Bloody Sunday Trust I am keen to see justice finally done for those who were murdered or injured on that day and the rightful recognition of their innocence.

"Furthermore, the City of Culture bid will hopefully come to fruition in the next few months which will see Derry get the recognition it deserves.

"However, in the current economic climate I will use my position as mayor to represent the city's best interests and do everything in my power to showcase Derry's assets at home and abroad as we continue to seek the much needed investment that is vital to the regeneration of the entire north-west region."

Speculation had been rife for weeks about the identity of the new mayor, with several high profile figures vying for the berth. With former party leader, Mark Durkan MP vacating his Stormont seat in the coming months, it is expected that his replacement will be co-opted from amongst the SDLP representatives on Derry City Council, potentially including the new mayor.